When Life Falls Apart, It Might Be Leading You Somewhere Better

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Learning to Trust the Inner “Yes”

One of the most beautiful parts of my conversation with Mary Burruss was hearing her describe what alignment actually feels like. She explained it as this lightness in her chest and stomach, almost like a burst of energy that tells her she is exactly where she is supposed to be. It wasn’t about checking boxes or doing what looked logical on paper. It was about learning to trust that inner “yes” even when other people questioned it.

Years ago, Mary decided she wanted to complete her yoga training, even though she had very little money, very little time, and every reason to believe it wouldn’t work out. But instead of focusing on obstacles, she focused on what she truly wanted. She journaled about it, created a vision board, and took action. Somehow, everything lined up. Her yoga training took place in Mexico, her flights were covered, and she completed the program in exactly the way she had envisioned. Her story is such a powerful reminder that sometimes the first step is simply giving yourself permission to dream beyond what feels “reasonable.”

The Courage to Keep Going

One of the most emotional moments in our conversation came when Mary shared what happened in 2018. Within ten days, her entire life changed. Her car was totaled, her relationship ended, her income disappeared, and she found herself without a home. It was one challenge after another, and everyone around her encouraged her to cancel a planned trip to India so she could focus on rebuilding her life.

But deep down, Mary knew she still needed to go. Even in the middle of uncertainty, she trusted that inner voice telling her the journey mattered. Instead of forcing solutions or panicking, she allowed herself to pause and surrender to the process. She spent time at an ashram preparing mentally and emotionally before heading to India, and by the time she returned home, her entire perspective had shifted. Her problems had not magically disappeared, but she no longer viewed them through fear. That change in mindset opened the door for new opportunities, new beginnings, and a completely different chapter of life.

Reinventing Yourself at Any Age

Another thing I loved about Mary’s story is how willing she has been to reinvent herself throughout her life. As a single mom in her thirties, she made the bold decision to go back to graduate school. She wanted a different future for herself and her son, even though it meant starting over and figuring things out one step at a time. She found creative ways to make it work, including living with a family in exchange for helping care for their children while she completed her studies.

What stood out most to me was her determination to keep growing instead of allowing fear or age to limit her. Mary talked about how so many people believe they’re “too late” to start something new, but she refuses to live that way. She believes there is always more life to experience, more growth ahead, and more dreams worth pursuing. That mindset alone is incredibly inspiring because it reminds us that reinvention is always possible if we’re willing to trust ourselves enough to begin again.

Fear Is Not Your Real Voice

Throughout the conversation, Mary kept coming back to one important truth: fear is not your real voice. She described how she visualizes fear shrinking smaller and smaller in her mind while allowing the stronger, more confident version of herself to grow bigger. I thought that was such a powerful image because fear has a way of becoming so loud that it convinces us to stay small, stay comfortable, and never take risks.

But Mary’s life is proof that growth happens when we stop letting fear make every decision. Whether she was traveling alone to Mexico, flying to India during one of the hardest seasons of her life, or pursuing new opportunities later in life, she kept choosing courage over comfort. That doesn’t mean she never felt afraid. It simply means she stopped allowing fear to have the final say.

Creativity, Writing,
and Following Joy

One of my favorite parts of our conversation was hearing how Mary unexpectedly became a children’s book author. What started as a simple birthday gift for her great-nephew turned into an entirely new creative journey. She wrote a personalized story about her father’s experience during World War II, complete with family photos and meaningful details that connected her nephew to his family history.

That one small act of creativity opened the door to something much bigger. Encouraged by others, Mary challenged herself to write ten children’s books in one year. While she completed seven instead of ten, she celebrated the accomplishment instead of criticizing herself for not reaching the original number. I loved that perspective because so many people forget to celebrate progress. Her story reminds us that joy, creativity, and passion often lead us somewhere meaningful when we allow ourselves to explore them fully.

A Big, Bold Move Towards Europe

As our conversation came to a close, Mary shared the next big dream she’s pursuing. Since she was sixteen years old, she has dreamed of living in Europe, specifically France. And this year, she finally decided she was no longer going to keep postponing that dream. She began researching visas, exploring opportunities, and even investigating the possibility of earning a PhD in France connected to a future book project she hopes to write.

What amazed me most was how quickly things started moving once she committed to the idea. Within days, she had already reached out to professors in France, translated letters into French, and received responses from highly respected people in her field. You could hear the excitement and energy in her voice because she knows this next chapter is aligned with who she’s becoming. It was such a beautiful reminder that life does not stop giving us opportunities to dream, grow, and begin again.

Final Thoughts

Mary’s story is such a beautiful reminder that life does not end when things fall apart. Sometimes those moments become the very thing that redirects us toward the life we were always meant to create.

As Mary said so perfectly during our conversation:

“If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a hell no.”

Give yourself permission to reinvent yourself, to want more and to create a new chapter. No matter where you are right now, there is still room for abundance, growth, healing, and hope.

Keep making Big, Bold Moves.

Lisa-Marie Hintze,
Fearlessly Debt Free &
Host of Big Bold Moves; Abundant Life

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